What is a Fossil?
The most common fossils are bones and teeth, but not all fossils are body parts. Explore the wide-ranging evidence of ancient life that scientists use to understand Earth's prehistoric past.
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More About This Resource...
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In this classroom activity, created to complement the Museum's Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries exhibit, young students explore the differences between bone and trace fossils.
- The activity opens with background information for teachers about fossils.
- After describing what a fossil is in their own words, students learn that a fossil is "any evidence of life that is at least 10,000 years old."
- They then explore the differences between trace and bone fossils by examining pictures.
- The activity concludes with a student worksheet that challenges them to identify trace and bone fossils.
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Completion Time
Less than 1 period
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Topic
Paleontology -
Subtopic
Fossil Dinosaurs and Birds
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